Revisiting ‘Jeet’: A Look Back at Sunny Deol, Salman Khan, Karisma Kapoor, and Tabu’s Quadrangle on its 28th Anniversary

When director Raj Kanwar’s film *Jeet* was released, a writer recalled to Karisma Kapoor that her mother, Babita, had also starred in a film titled *Jeet* with her future husband, Karisma’s father, Randhir Kapoor. Karisma’s reaction was rather unexpected. She stated, “This *Jeet* is very different from my mother’s *Jeet*, not that I’ve seen my parents’ *Jeet*. But that was so long ago. Our *Jeet* is actually a fresh take on *Devdas*.” However, the film, produced by Sajid Nadiadwala and directed by Raj Kanwar, didn’t quite reach that level of ambition. It was heavily inspired by Prakash Mehra’s *Muqaddar Ka Sikandar*, with Sunny Deol playing the unwavering lover Karan, a role previously made famous by Amitabh Bachchan. Karisma took on the role of Kajal, the object of Deol’s affection (played by Rakhee Gulzar in the original), while Tabu played the character of Tulsi, a *tawaif* who sacrifices everything for Karan, who, in turn, is devoted to Kajal. When asked why he cast Tabu in a dancer’s role, producer Sajid Nadiadwala replied, “Meena Kumari played a *tawaif* in *Pakeezah* and she couldn’t dance to save her life.” While it is true that Meena Kumari’s performance in *Pakeezah* was iconic, the film’s inspiration was derived from a different narrative. Tabu’s portrayal in *Jeet* received criticism. Salman Khan’s inclusion in the film appeared to be primarily motivated by his desire to participate in a blockbuster. His late entry into the story was known from the beginning. This was one of Salman Khan’s early collaborations with producer Nadiadwala, a venture undertaken during a period when Khan’s career was facing challenges. Although *Jeet* proved commercially successful and entertaining, it didn’t significantly boost the careers of the actors involved. Director Raj Kanwar, despite directing several hits before his death, didn’t receive due recognition for them. The success of *Andaaz* was attributed to producer Suneel Darshan, while for *Jeet*, it was producer Sajid Nadiadwala who took the credit.